Mumbai man posed as film star to lure minors online, sold child porn to international clients: CBI

The CBI has booked a Mumbai-based small-time TV artist for allegedly running an international racket of selling sexually explicit content comprising minors from abroad, obtained by enticing and blackmailing them on Instagram, officials said Sunday.

He contacted over 1,000 users including minors between 10-16 years of age across the United States, Europe, and South Asian countries using photo-sharing application Instagram, they said.

The agency recently searched the residence of the accused, who claims to be a junior artist in TV serials, from where his mobile phone and laptop have been seized, they said.

The forensic analysis of the devices has prima facie provided material related to online sexual abuse which the accused later circulated to his clients internationally over WhatsApp and other platforms, they said.